The discussions are a departure from the house hearings a couple of weeks ago which put a heavy emphasis on a proposal to ban assault weapons.

Gun control opponents claim many of the proposals on the table are an infringement of their second amendment right to bear arms.

Hundreds of people, mostly members of the NRA and the Minnesota Gun Owner Civil Rights Alliance, converged on the Capitol and started lining up hours ahead of time.

"I don't ever anticipate having to use my gun for self-defense, but if I have to, I don't think it's out of line for me to expect to have the same kind of capability that law enforcement does," said Corey Birkemeyer of Plymouth.

"What we have now is an incomplete patchwork of a background check system, and some of these bills are aimed particularly at that, keeping guns out of the wrong hands," said Heather Martens with Protect Minnesota.

Representative David Dill says there is meaningful legislation that is likely to pass, but not the way the bills are currently written.